'Macbeth' revision: the crucial moment

As we start on Macbeth revision prior to the Leaving Certificate, here is the first of seven discussions of key issues in the play, via SoundCloud. You can listen via the computer, but can also download the free app for iOS or Android and listen on your phone/tablet. More in the coming days. Listen to the full series here.

This talk deals with the crucial 'If it were done' soliloquy in Act I scene vii, and here are things to listen out for and think about.

• why is this the crucial turning point of the play?
• how is Macbeth's confusion expressed in the speech?
• what are the key words?
• how is the idea of 'jumping' or 'leaping' an important one here and elsewhere?
• what is the significance of the word 'But' on line 7?
• by the end of the speech, what is he very clear about?
• how can Lady Macbeth change his mind so apparently easily, given what he has said here?